Selective duplicating machine



March 30, 1954 w. H. UHL

SELECTIVE DUPLICATING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 15, 1950 JNVENTOR. WILL/AM H 017/.

ATTORNEYS March 30, 1954 w. H. UHL 2,673,517

SELECTIVE DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed April 15, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 30, 1954 w. H. UHL

SELECTIVE DUPLICATING MACHINE e Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 15, 1950 INVENTOR WILL/AM l1. UHL

ATTORNEYS Mal-e11 30, 1954 w. H. UHL

SELECTIVE DUPLICATING MACHINE.

6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 13, 1950 March 30, 1954 w. H UHL SELECTIVE DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed April 13, 195C) 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR MAL/AM H. 0/11. BY

ATTORNEYS March 30, 1954 w. H. UHL 2,673,517 SELECTIVE DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed April 15, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTO RN EY-S Patented Mar. 30, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,673,517 SELECTIVE DUPLICATIN G MACHINE William H. Uhl, Penfield, N. Y., assignor to Commercial Controls Corporation, Rochester, N. Y.

Application April 13, 1950, Serial No. 155,611

to a printing machine machine for repeatedly upon a card or other generally indicated at driven as the carriage is moved longitudinally with respect to framework ID. The platen shaft I 6 (Figures and 6) is ,operably connected by the mechanism, generally indicated at [8 (Figure 1), to the shaft 20 carrying a plurality of settable type wheels, generally indicated at 22 (Figure 6). As the carriage is moved longitudinally of framework lll, the type wheels is to proaccurate in operation. A further object is to provide a machine of the above character which will successively print a selected line of type upon a card or other medium not held by or connected to the machine. Still another object is to provide a machine of the above character in which a selected line of type and the platen are actuated so that printing is effected with a rolling 'action'dur'ing each successive printing operation.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described, and

the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims,

be simple,

Referring now to the drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention;

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine, certain portions being broken away for purposes of illustration;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the machine, certain portions being broken away for purposes of illustration;

Figure 3 is a top plan of the machine shown enlarged scale, certain Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 6-4; of Figure 1;

section taken Figure 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 11 of Figure 3; Figure 8 is a the parts in different relative positions;

in each figure.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing. )7

Referring now to Figures 1 and 5, the framework l0 includes two pairs of rails 24, 26, 28 and 30 which are held in spaced relationship with respect to each other by side plates 32 and 36. To hold the rails and side plates in assembled relationship, screws 34 and 38 (Figures 1 and 2) extend through the side plates 32 and 36 and rails 24, 26, 28 and 30, and thread into threaded holes in the ends of rods 40 and 4| (Figures 3, 4 and 5).

Adjacent the ends of side plates 32 and 36 are two pairs of vertical supports 42, 44, and 48 (Figures 1, 2 and 3). Supports 42, 44, 46 and 48 serve to hold a pair of rotatably mounted rods 50 and 52 on which the inking ribbon 54 is "mounted. Rods 50 and 52 are provided with dicated at 64 (Figure 5);, which is channelshaped in cross section. Four rollers 66, 68, I and 12 (Figures 3 and 4) are mounted on the legs 64a and 64b of base 64 (Figure 5) and are positioned between the rails 24, 26, 28 and 30. Rail 30 is provided with a groove 14 in which rollers 66 and 68 (Figure 4) ride, thus preventing the rollers from moving transversely of the rails. Thus, base 64 is mounted on rails 24, 26, 28 and 30 by rollers 66, 68, I0 and 12 so that it may be moved longitudinally of the rails. Rods 4| (Figure 4) at the ends of the rails limit lon- I2 with respect to The printing mechanism is mounted upon a pair of side plates 16 and 18 (Figures 1, 2 and 5), which are connected to base 64 by means of bolts 80 (Figure 5). Side plates 16 and 18 are held in spaced relationship with respect to each other by means of rods 82 and 84 (Figures 3 and 5), which are connected to plates 16 and 18 by means of screws 66 (Figure 2) and 88 (Figure 1).

Platen I4 (Figure 6) is mounted on shaft I6, which is rotatably mounted on a pair of bearin members 90 and 92 mounted on side plates I6 and '58. When the carriage I2 is moved to the left, as viewed in Figure l, shaft I6 is driven by mechanism actuated by a rack 60 (Figures 2, 3 and 6) which is mounted on supports 42 and 66 by bolts 62. This mechanism includes a gear 94 (Figures 3, 5 and 6) mounted on and secured to a sleeve 96 which is rotatably mounted on shaft I6. Sleeve 96 is maintained in spaced relationship with respect to bearing 92 by means of a collar 98. A disc I00 (Figures 2 and 6) is mounted on and secured to the outer end of sleeve 96 and carries a pawl I02. Pawl I02 is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin I04 and is resiliently pressed into engagement with a ratchet wheel I66 by means of spring I08. Ratchet wheel I06 is mounted on and secured to a sleeve IIO which is connectedto shaft I6 by means of set screw I I2.

When the carriage I2 is moved to the right, as viewed in Figure 2, rack 60 drives gear 94 and thus disc I00 in a clockwise direction. When disc I00 tion, pawl I02 engages ratchet wheel I06 and turns it in the same direction. When carriage I2 is moved from the right-hand end of the rack 60, as viewed in Figure 2, to the left-hand end thereof, gear 94 and thus disc I00 turn in a counterclockwise direction. At this time, pawl I02 ratchets over ratchet wheel I06, and thus shaft I6 is not driven.

Platen I4 (Figure 6), which is made of rubber or similar material, preferably is mounted on a sleeve II4, which is connected to shaft I6 by means of set screw IIB. Platen I4 is bonded to sleeve H4, and thus as shaft I6 turns, platen I4 is turned with it. Platen I4 ha t plurality of equidistantly spaced raised portions IIB (Figures 4 and 5) formed on its external surface which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platen. It should be noted that the space between each adjacent pair of raised portions is flattened. I

The type wheels 22 are mcunted beneath platen I4 on a shaft (Figure 6), which is rotatably mounted on bearings I24 and I22 mounted on plates I6 and I8. Movement of shaft 20 to the right with respect to bearing I22 is prevented by means of a snap ring I25 which is mounted in a groove I26. The type wheels are all similar in eonstructiqn t time wheel. n (Figure 4). Type Wheel. 22a is ring shaped and is turned in a clockwise direcpair of tongue rotatably mounted on a sleev I28 (Figures 4 and 6) mounted on shaft 20. Type wheel 22a (Figure 4) is provided with a plurality of teeth 22b, each of which carries a digit in raised type thereon.

Type wheels 22 are prevented from moving longitudinally with respect to sleeve I28 by the hub portions I30a and I32a of a pair of arms I30 and I32 (Figures 6 and 9) connected to shaft 20 by set screws I34 and I36. The lower ends of arms I30 and I32 are connected by means of a rod I38 and with rod I38 form a support for a locking bar, I40 which locks the typ wheels in their selected positions. Bar I40 includes a portions H011 and I40b, which extend through slots I30?!) and I32b in arms I30 and I32 and which are connected tothe hub portions of arms I30 and I32 by means of springs I42 and I44. These springs resiliently hold locking bar I40 in engagement with the notches between the raised teeth on the type wheels 22 and thus hold them in set positions. When it is desired to reset the type wheels, the carriage I2 is moved to the left-hand end of the machine, as viewed in Figure 1, locking bar I40 is moved downwardly out of engagement with the type wheels, and the type wheel are reset with a stylus. When the type wheels have been reset and properly aligned, locking bar I40 is released and it locks the type wheels in their set positions.

As pointed out hereinabove, when the carriage I2 (Figure 1) is moved to the left, as viewed in this figure, shaft I6 is turned in a counterclockwise direction. Shaft I6 has an actuator I46 (Figure 6) mounted on its right-hand end, the hub portion I46a of which is connected to shaft I6 by set screw I48. As will be pointed out hereinafter, actuator I46 acts through a pair of cams I50 and I52 (Figures 1 and '7), which are operably connected by gears I54 and I56 (Figures 1 and 8) to move the type wheels through a printing cycle as carriage I2 is moved longitudinally of the machine. The motion imparted to the type wheels is such that each time the selected line of type is printed, printing is effected by a coordinated rolling action between the platen and line of type.

Cam I50 (Figures 6 and '7) is mounted on and secured to a sleeve I58, which is connected to shaft 20 by a set screw I60. It will be noted by referring to Figure 6 that cam I50 lies in the same plane as actuator I46. Gear I5 3, which is also mounted on and secured to sleeve I58, meshes with a gear I56 (Figures 1 and 3), which is mounted on and secured to a sleeve I62. Sleeve I62 is rotatably mounted on a stud shaft IE4 secured to and extending outwardly from side plate I6. Cam I52 (Figure 3) is also mounted on and secured to sleeve I62 and lies in the same plane as cam I54 (Figure 3) and actuator i 36 (Figure 5) Referring to Figure 3, it will be noted that sleeve I62 is held in position on stud shaft I64 by means of collar I66 and snap ring I68.

Referring now to Figure 10, the platen I4 is illustrated in the position it occupies at the beginning of a printing operation. The right-hand edges (Figure 10) of the row 220 of type to be printed and the raised portion I4a of the platen are in printing position with respect to each other. As platen I4 is turned by shaft It in a counterclockwise direction, actuator 546 also is turned by shaft I6. Actuator I48 acts through the'surface I46 on one of itsteeth against surface I50a on'cam I50 to turn cam I50 in a clock- Wise direction Because the cam I50 is operatively connected to gear I 54, gear I54 is also turned in a clockwise direction. Gear I55 acts through gear I56 to turn cam I52 in a counterclockwise direction. As shaft I 6 continues to turn in a counterclockwise direction, the line of type 220 (Figure 11) prints with a rolling action upon ing takes place, cam I 50 (Figure 8) is turned in a clockwise direction and cam I52 in a counterclockwise direction. When printing has been completed, as shown in Figure 11, the surface Nita of actuator I46 has moved out of engagement with surface I50a of cam I50, and the surface I452) of another tooth of actuator I 36 engages surface I52a of cam 52. Actuator hi5 acts through surface I We?) to turn cam I52 in a clockwise direction. This motion is transmitted Referring to Figure 12, it will be noted that while actuator I46 is acting through cam I52 to move type wheels 22 in a counterclockwise direction, platen I4 continues to turn in a counterclockwise direction. Thus, as line of type 220 is being moved back to printing position, the fiat surface I40 between raised portions Ida and M12 is positioned opposite the line of type 220. Thus the movement of line of type 220 back into printing position cannot move the card being printed upon into engagement with platen it. As is shown in Figure 13, platen I4 continues to turn in a counterclockwise direction reach printing position and the raised portion Mb on platen I4 is positioned slightly to the left of printing position with respect to the selected line of type 220. that the actuator is not in engagement with either cam I or I52. Further movement of shaft It in a counterclockwise direction causes raised portion Mb on platen M to press the card or medium being printed upon into engagement with the right-hand edge of the line of type 22c.

At this time, surface I450 of another tooth on actuator I43 engages surface Iefia on cam and another line of type is again printed on the card being printed upon.

It will be noted that to turn shaft it carriage it (Figure 1) must be moved longitudinally of the machine. Thus, the lines of type are spaced on the card being printed upon as the card remains stationary with respect to the machine. The card is not moved during printing because printing is efiected with a rolling action.

In operation, type wheels 22 (Figure 6) are first set so that the desired line of type is positioned in printing position. To accomplish this, the car riage i2 is moved to the left-hand end of the machine, as viewed in Figure 1, and locking bar Edd is pulled downwardly (Figure 6). This permits the type Wheels to be rotated with a stylus until they are correctly set. The locking bar is then released and carriage I2 is moved to the right-hand end of the machine, as viewed in Figure 1. A card H0 (Figure 4) is next placed upon the ribbon 54, as viewed in Figures 3 and 4, to the left of platen I4, and carriage I2 is moved to the left-hand end of the machine, as viewed in Figure 1.

As carriage 42 moves to the left, rack (Figure 3) acts through gear 94 to turn disc I00 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2.

At this time, it will be noted As disc I00 turns, it acts ratchet wheel I 06 to turn shaft I6 in a clockwise direction (Figure 2). 'As shaft I6 turns, it drives actuator I 46 (Figure 1), which acts upon cam I50 (Figure 10) to cause the line of type 220 to coact with raised portion I 40. on platen I4 and print upon card I10 (Figure 4). After printing has been effected, the actuator acts upon cam I52 (Figure 11), which acts in turn through gears I56 and I54 to turn shaft 20 and thus the line of type 220 back into printing position. Further movement of carriage I2 along rack 60 acts through the same mechanism to cause another printing operation.

Each time printing is effected with through pawl I02 and appears a. number of times upon the card, each line of type being equidistantly spaced with those adjacent to it. When the carriage I2 reaches the machines left-hand end, as viewed in Figure 1, it is moved back to the right-hand end and the card I10 removed. During movement of the machine in this direction; pawl I02 ratchets around ratchet wheel I06 (Figure 2), and thus the printing mechanism is not actuated.

It will thus be seen that a simple, practical and thoroughly eflicient machine has been described. It is not necessary in this machine to have the What is claimed is:

1. In a printing machine, in combination, a supporting member, a platen mounted on said supporting member, means rotatably mounting said platen, said platen having a plurality of raised ridges thereon, said ridges being parallel to the axis of rotation of said platen, a line of and one of said ridges on a card positioned besaid platen between successive printing operations.

2. In a printing machine, in combination, a supporting member, a shaft: mounted on said supporting member, a platenmounted on said drivi'ngl sai line.- ofitype 7 shaft, a line'of type, means mounting said line of type on said supporting member for rocking movement with respect to said platen, said line of type being longitudinally aligned with the axis of said shaft, cam means operatively connected to said line of type, means on said shaft for actuating said cam means when said shaft is turned to move said line of type through printing position with respect to said platen, and secondary cam means operatively connected to said line of type, said secondary cam means being actuated by means on said shaft and being actuated by said means to turn said line of type in the opposite direction from said first-mentioned cam means, whereby said line of type is returned to printing position by said second-mentioned cam means after each printing operation is completed.

3. In aprinting machine, in combination, a supporting member, a platen mounted on said supporting member, means rotatably mounting said platen on said supporting member, said platen having a plurality of raised portions thereon parallel to its axis of rotation, a shaft, a-line of type wheels rotatably mounted on said shaft, said type wheels each having a plurality of characters thereon and being adjustable, means for locking said type wheels in adjusted positions to said shaft, the line of type selected being parallel to the axis about which said platen rotates, means for rotating said platen, means operatively connecting said platen to said shaft, said means including mechanism for moving said line of type into printing engagement with one of the raised portions on said platen to effect printing on a cardpositioned between said platen and the line of selected type, and mechanism for moving said line of selected type in the opposite direction after each printing operation until it is aligned with the next raised portion on said platen.

4. In a printing machine, in combination, a framework, a carriage, means mounting said carniage for movement longitudinally with respect to said framework, a platen mounted on said carriage, means for rotating said platen as said carriage moves longitudinally of said framework, type means, means mounting said type means for rocking movement with respect to said platen, said platen having a plurality of raised portions thereon which coact with said type means to effect printing, means for moving said type means in a direction to effect printing as said carriage moves longitudinally of said framework, and-means for moving said line of type in the opposite direction during the period between successive printing operations as said carriage continues to move.

5. In a printing machine, in combination, a supporting member, aplaten rotatably mounted on said supporting member, .means mounting said platen for movement longitudinally with respect to said supporting member, the axis of rotation of said platen extending transversely across said supporting member, means for rotating said platen as said platen is moved longitudinallywith' respect to said supporting member, a line of type extending transverselyacross said sup ort n m mb r. meansv mo t n s i e o type for'rocking movement with respect to said platen, and means operatively connecting said platen rotating means and said line of type mounting means, said. last-mentioned means with a rockingfmotion said platen moves longitudinally with respect to said supporting member.

6. In a printing machine, in combination, a supporting member, a platen rotatably mounted on said supporting member, means mounting said platen for movement longitudinally of said supporting member, the axis of rotation of said platen extending transversely across said supporting member, said platen having a plurality of ridges formed thereon parallel to the axis thereof, means for rotating said platen as said platen is moved longitudinally of said supporting member, type means, means mounting said type means for rocking movement with respect to said platen, and means operatively connecting said platen rotating means and said lastmentioned means, said connecting means driving said type means with a rocking motion toward a ridge on said platen during the printing portion of the operating cycle and in the opposite direction between said ridge and the next succeeding ridge on said platen during the remaining portion of the operating cycle, as said platen moves longitudinally of said supporting member.

7. In a printing machine, in combination, a framework, a carriage, means mounting said carriage for movement longitudinally with respect to said framework, a platen mounted on said carriage, means engaging said framework for rotating said platen as said carriage is moved longitudinally with respect to said framework, a shaft, settable type wheels mounted on said shaft, each type wheel having a number of characters there on, means for locking said type Wheels in adjusted position with respect to said shaft, and means operatively connecting said platen and said shaft to cause said type wheels to reversably rotate into and out of printing position with respect to said platen as said carriage is moved longitudinally with respect to said framework.

8. In a printing machine, in combination, a framework, a carriage mounted for movement longitudinally of said framework, a shaft mounted on said carriage, a platen mounted on said shaft, means for driving said shaft as said carriage is moved longitudinally of said framework, the axis of rotation of said platen extending transversely across said carriage, said platen having a plurality of ridges thereon extending longitudinally thereof, a second shaft mounted on said carriage, settable type wheels mounted on said shaft, each type wheel having a number of characters thereon, means for locking said type wheels in set position to said second shaft, cam means mounted on said second shaft, driving means on said first shaft for driving said cam means to move the line of selected type through a printing operation with respect to one of the ridges on said platen, secondary cam means, and means operatively connecting said secondary cam means to said second shaft, said driving means on said first shaft after the completion of each printing operation acting through said secondary cam means to move said line of type backwardly until it is aligned with the next ridge on said platen after each printing operation.

9. In a printing machine, in combination, a framework, a carriage, a platen rotatably mounted on said carriage, means mounting said carriage for movement longitudinally of said framework, the axis of rotation of said platen extending transversely across said carriage, said platen having a plurality of ridges thereon extending peripherally parallel to the rotational axis thereof, a rack on said; framework, a gear mounted on said car riage, clutch means positioned between said platen and said gear, said rack driving said platen through said gear and said clutch means when said carriage is moved in one direction, a shaft rockably mounted on said carriage, settable type wheels mounted on said shaft, each type wheel having a number of characters thereon, and means for rocking said shaft while said platen rotates, whereby the line of selected typ moves against and in the same direction as a ridge on said platen during the printing portion of the operating cycle, and in the opposite direction toward the next succeeding ridge on said platen during the remaining portion of the operating cycle.

10. A printing machine comprising, in combination, a framework, a, carriage mounted for movement longitudinally of said framework, a shaft mounted transversally on said carriage, means for driving said shaft as said carriage is moved longitudinally of said framework, a platen mounted on said shaft, said platen having a plurality of ridges thereon extending longitudinally thereof, type means, means rockably mounting said type means on said carriage below said platen, means operatively connecting said shaft and said type mounting means to rock said type means into engagement with successive ridges on said platen as said platen rotates, and an inking ribbon longitudinally disposed on said framework and extending between said platen and type means, whereby a card or the like may be placed on said ribbon to be printed by said type means when said carriage is moved longitudinally of said framework.

11. A printing machine comprising, in combination, a framework, a carriage mounted for movement longitudinally of said framework, a shaft mounted transversally on said carriage, a rack on said framework, a gear rotatably mounted on said shaft and engageable with said rack, clutch means associated with said gear whereby said shaft is driven from said rack when said carriage is moved in one direction, a platen mounted on said shaft and having a plurality of ridges thereon extending longitudinally thereof, type means, means rockably mounting said type means on said carriage below said platen, means operatively connecting said shaft and said type mounting means to rock said type means into engagement with successive ridges on said platen as said platen rotates, and an inking ribbon 1ongitudinally disposed on said framework and extending between said platen and type means,

whereby a card or the like may be placed on said ribbon to be printed by said type means when said carriage is moved longitudinally of said framework.

12. A printing machine comprising, in combination, a framework, a carriage mounted for movement longitudinally of said framework, a shaft mounted transversally on said carriage, a rack on said framework, a gear rotatably mounted on said shaft and engageable with said rack, clutch means associated with said gear whereby said shaft is driven from said rack when said 10 carriage is moved in one direction, a platen mounted on said shaft and having a plurality of ridges thereon extending longitudinally thereof, a second shaft rockably mounted on said carriage below said platen, settable type wheels mounted on said second shaft, each type wheel having a number of characters thereon, means locking said type wheels in set position to said second shaft, a cam mounted on said second shaft, means on said first shaft driving said cam to move the line of selected type through a. printing operation with respect to one of the ridges on said platen, a secondary cam, means operatively connecting said secondary cam to said second shaft, said driving means on said first shaft acting through said secondary cam after completion of each printing operation to move said line of selected type backwardly until it is aligned with the next ridge on said platen after each printing operation, and an inking ribbon longitudinally disprinted repeatedly by said line of selected type when said carriage is moved in said one direction.

13. In a printing machine, in combination, a longitudinal supporting frame, a carriage mounted for slidable movement along said frame, a rack secured to said frame, means for mounting a card on said frame, means for supporting an inking ribbon on said frame, said ribbon and said card being mounted in superimposed relation, a platen roller rotatably secured to said carriage above said ribbon, type supporting mechanism secured to said carriage below said ribbon and in alignment with said platen, and gearing mechanism meshing with said rack and interconnected with said type supporting mechanism to move said type supporting mechanism move said type supporting mechanism in the other direction out of printing position as said carriage continues to move in the same direction whereby successive imprints are made on said card as said carriage slides along said frame.

WILLIAM H. UHL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

